Canadian Pacific Railway Vegetation Management Program

05/10/2011

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) would like to inform the community that the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), as part of its Vegetation Control Program, will spray herbicide along the 3 mile section of
tracks by the Adirondack Junction area and Seaway Spur (see map on page 2) on Tuesday, May 24th or Wednesday, May 25th, weather and traffic permitting.



The only area treated will be the ballast section of the railway corridor, or the portion covered with gravel where the rails are found. The spray application will happen only once this season using a hi-rail spray truck, equipped with shrouds on each side to prevent spray drift.

The CPR conducts the Vegetation Control Program on all its railways to ensure the safety of both passenger and freight trains, and the general public. The contractor carrying out the spraying is Wilderness Environmental Services of Ontario.

Over the past several years the MCK has chosen not to participate in the Vegetation Control Program based on Environmental concerns but the issue of safety has always been a worry. Alternative methods of vegetation removal were tried (steam, fire, by hand) but proved to be ineffective. Therefore a decision was made by Chief & Council to participate this year - the deciding factor being liability issues in case of a derailment cause by the lack of maintenance on the tracks.

A reminder letter will be handed out door to door to residents along the affected area before the spraying takes place. Further information can be obtained by calling Chief Kenneth McComber at 450 632 7500 ext. 2228 or Kenneth.mccomber@mck.ca.